Investigate different aspects of life on Earth, through fascinating fossils, tools for turning the soil and pieces of art reflecting the devastating effects of pollution on our planet.

Investigate the 'fifth element' through the wonders of digital technology, from early computers to the development of mobile telephones and robot repairs.

Discover how air has been used in modes of transport from airships to hot air balloons and how different species make use of air to travel through flight and gliding.

Discover and investigate the history of the cash register, an object that has become a part of our everyday lives.

Our online database contains a selection of the 12 million objects and specimens in our collections.

Novelist, poet, playwright and historian, Scott was one of the most celebrated writers of his time and his works brought Scotland’s evocative landscapes to public attention across Britain and Europe. Discover his story through objects in the National Collection.

A rare opportunity to see one of the most important documents in Scottish history.

Five tiny parasites cause some of the deadliest diseases, which affect 1 in every 18 people in the world.

Discover a wonderful collection of design which was amassed during second half of the 20th century by collectors with an inspiring passion for Modernism.

Created in 1954, this glass sculpture marked a new collaboration between Picasso, glassmaker Egidio Costantini and the famed Fucina degli Angeli in Murano, Italy.

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Celebrate Insect Week 2024 with family friendly activities at the National Museum of Scotland.

Celebrate Insect Week 2024 with family friendly activities at the National Museum of Flight.

These small objects were essential tools for trade in West Africa until the end of the 19th century.

Drop-in for some holiday fun and games at the museum this summer.

Ornate and intricately detailed, this collection of jewellery and personal possessions once belonged to the last ruler of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Duleep Singh.

The Roman army was drawn from many corners of the vast Roman Empire

Forts were not just military bases, they became the heart of communities

This small display showcased an outstanding collection of works in ceramics, glass and jewellery.

Discover the facts about a large ocean sunfish that stranded off Scotland’s coast in 2020 and hear what we can learn from studying this strange fish.

In 2014 Scotland welcomed the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow. Objects from our collection give an insight into the history of the games.

The Museum’s East and Central Asian collections, comprised of over 36,000 objects, are of national and international importance. The collection includes ceramics, lacquer, prints and paintings, clothing and textiles, ivory, metalwork, jade, furniture, contemporary art, and coins.

Rarer than the tiger, the Scottish wildcat is Britain's last native cat species. Find out more about this elusive feline and the efforts being made to ensure it has a future.

Scottish-born Alexander Dalrymple was a significant figure in Britain’s maritime history.

Water, water everywhere with worms, whales ​and sharks ​- and simple solutions for boiling water and solar energy.

Discover amazing science from inside your own home as we explore the elemental themes of the Edinburgh Science Festival 2020.

Sir James Black was one of the greatest Scottish scientists of the modern era. His work in medicine and pharmacology has improved the quality of life for millions of people around the world.

Curator Dr Martin Goldberg joins Vikings writer and producer Michael Hirst to delve into the mysteries of the incredible Galloway Hoard.

This exhibition explored design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, Beyond the Little Black Dress deconstructs this iconic garment and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion.

Get hands-on with craft ideas inspired by our collections.

Members receive free access to the National Museum of Rural Life and special events throughout the year, and generous discounts in our shop and café.

Still haven’t found what you’re looking for? It could be the innovative, Scottish-made Bond Electraglide guitar.

Unearth a fascinating Pictish treasure trove.

Explore our collection of wonderful miniature Japanese sculptures that served functional and aesthetic purposes.

Cotton cloths are a popular everyday item of clothing in Malawi and are produced in a wide variety of patterns and designs. They are also designed to mark social and political events.

This is the oldest surviving colour television in the world. It uses a colour system invented in 1937 by Scottish engineer John Logie Baird.

Salvaged from a shipwreck, this pocket watch has lain under water for over 300 years. But now a high-tech process has uncovered the hidden secrets of this rusty artefact.

What did you want for Christmas in the 1960s? Meccano? Lego? A toy nuclear power station?

Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most famous yet enigmatic figures in Scottish history. Explore her dramatic story through objects in our collection.

Discover the way of the Japanese warrior.

It's over 40 years since Scotland's Concorde took to the skies in the first BA Concorde fleet commercial passenger flight. Don't miss the chance to get up close to G-BOAA.

This woven bamboo flower basket titled ‘Crane Dance’ was created by Japanese artist Buseki Suikō in 2009.

The design of this elegant modernist dining suite was once admired by the Queen Mother. Now extremely rare, it makes a significant new addition to the national collection.

Your journey from Scotland to the world begins in the Grand Gallery, one of Scotland's most beautiful spaces.

Find out more about our range of initiatives to support and welcome autistic visitors.

This simple looking object made it possible for the first clinical trials and batch production of penicillin to take place. Its design marks a significant milestone in the history of medicine.

Meet the Buddhist guardian who's watched over the museum for almost 80 years.